Ragnar's Rant: Oil Prices and Gods of War in the East!

The Gods of Oil and War Clash

Hail fellow adventurers and shield maidens! Ragnar Lothbrok here fresh from pillaging… well observing from afar these strange lands where the sand burns and the oil flows like mead on a good night. Seems there's a bit of a ruckus brewing. They call it a 'war' – a rather dull affair compared to the sieges of Paris I must say. Apparently some fellows named Israel decided to poke Iran's gas fields. Now I've seen bigger explosions when Floki tries a new brew but these mortals seem quite concerned. Oil prices they say are acting like a skittish horse before battle. Up one moment down the next. It's enough to make a Viking seasick!

Black Gold or Fool's Gold?

This 'oil' they call it 'black gold'. Seems a bit less shiny than the gold I'm used to but I suppose it fuels their strange contraptions. This "WTI" and "Brent" business sounds like the names of Odin's ravens. And they're fluctuating more wildly than Floki's moods! They say the price dipped a bit even after the strikes. Makes you wonder eh? Are these gods of oil playing games with us mortals? Is it all just a grand illusion a trick of the Allfather himself? I wouldn't put it past him.

The Strait of Hormuz: A Choke Point for Mead... I Mean Oil!

Ah the Strait of Hormuz! Sounds like a narrow passage indeed. They say it's where a fifth of the world's oil flows. Imagine if we controlled that passage with our longboats! We'd be richer than King Ecbert and that's saying something. Some commander in Iran is threatening to shut it down. That's a bold move! Would cause quite the stir. Goldman Sachs a seer of sorts predicts oil prices could soar higher than a Valkyrie if that happens. But then again they also predicted I'd fail to raid Paris. So grain of salt eh?

Can They Even Close the Damn Thing?

This 'Helima Croft' from RBC Capital Markets she raises a point. Apparently the Americans have a big fleet hanging around there. Like a bunch of overprotective mothers. She doubts the Iranians can close the strait. But she also says they could target tankers and mine the straits. Now that sounds more like the kind of chaos I understand. A bit of good old fashioned raiding and pillaging on the high seas! 'Fear is power,' as I always say. And fear of disrupted oil supplies... that's a powerful weapon indeed.

My Take: Ride the Waves My Friends

So what's a Viking to make of all this? Well I say ride the waves! These oil prices they'll go up they'll go down. Just like the tides. Don't get too attached to either. Focus on what you can control. Sharpen your axes mend your sails and prepare for whatever the gods throw your way. And maybe just maybe invest in some… oil? I hear it’s a good way to light a longship on fire should the need arise.

Ultimately Who Knows?

Remember my friends the future is uncertain. The gods are fickle and mortals are even more so. All we can do is face each day with courage cunning and a healthy dose of skepticism. As I always say 'Life is a struggle but not a meaningless one.' Now if you'll excuse me I have a map of England to examine. Rumor has it they have quite the supply of 'black gold' there as well...and I'm sure they wouldn't mind sharing.